Madurai | Sept 20, 2017: Efforts would be taken to streamline sand quarrying operations in an ecologically-friendly and environmentally sustainable manner across the state, Tamil Nadu chief secretary, Girija Vaidhyanathan and principal secretary of public works department, S K Prabakar told the Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Tuesday.

"It would be in public interest if the government is given an opportunity to do mining in a judicious way taking all the environment factors into consideration. Cauvery sand accounts for around 70-80 % of the state's production of river sand. Banning sand quarry operations in Cauvery without any viable alternative would do more harm than good. The worst-affected are the government projects which are not completed on time and thus facing huge escalation due to sharply rising sand prices," Prabakar said.

The officials said these by filing separate affidavits before the court. A batch of cases regarding sand mining operations in Cauvery and Kollidam rivers are before the high court bench. The bench, in turn stayed sand quarrying operations on Cauvery river in Trichy and Karur districts and also appointed an advocate commission to study quarries in the two districts and Thanjavur. The commission told the court that illegal quarrying operations were taking place in the districts and recommended the court to give long-term ban on the operations.

In his affidavit, Prabakar said, "Over the past 15 years, there has been more than 60 quarries functioning in the stretches of Cauvery and Coleroon (Kollidam) rivers at different locations in different periods of time. During the inspection by the commission, such mined areas were found adjacent to the existing mines. So, the extent of mining was thought to be illegal."

However, this exercise has brought the need to go in for judicious mine closure plans which would not give way for such speculations in the future from now on, he said.

Regarding mining operation under the Thanthai Periyar bridge connecting Musiri and Kulithalai, he said Musiri sand quarry is situated 500m away from the bridge. The bridge is constructed on 'well' type of foundation which anchored very deep into the hard-underlying strata and visible exposure of pile cap or its burying into san shoals is an alternative phenomenon based on the sediment transport during floods.

He prayed the court to permit the government to continue quarrying operating in eight places, which have enough shoals of sand, by abiding with environmental clearance norms. He also sought permission to carry out reclamation works by way of removal of approach roads in the quarried areas.

He further wanted the court to permit initiation of new proposals for quarrying across Cauvery and Kollidam rivers. Following it, the court adjourned the case to September 21.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)